Thinking about renovating your home in 2014? Now is a great time to start putting together your strategy for a renovation project, whether it be a new kitchen or bathroom, or an addition for your home. The weather is still cold, but the prep work can get started so you’re ready to go before the renovation busy season hits, and it becomes more difficult to get a project up and running. Here are three steps to a great renovation this year.

1) Plan

It goes without saying, but sitting down with your family and putting some of those renovation thoughts on to paper goes along way to getting what you want. Notes, sketches, and magazine cutouts all help to narrow down what you want and help your contractor give you YOUR project. Without any planning, you’ll probably end up with a project that your contractor’s wife would love to have. That might be great if you share her tastes, but a disaster if you don’t.

2) Manage Expectations

Different expectations between the client and the contractor can turn a project ugly very quickly. Even if your contractor gives you the award winning home renovation of the decade, you will only remember the struggle if you and your contractor have different expectations on how the project unfolds. Make sure that your expectations on the project match your contractor’s expectations by keeping good communication between you and the contractor from beginning to end.

3) Buy Value

The temptation is always there to shave a few bucks of your project by going with the lowest contractor bid or choosing a more inexpensive product for your project. This, however, could lead to problems. Instead of looking at the cost of the project alone, you should also be looking at what the value the project brings to you and your family. Saving money upfront on materials doesn’t bring a lot of value if you’re going to have to spend more to maintain them or replace them a lot sooner. After all, you’ve probably thought about this project for a very long time and it would be nice if the project also lasted a very long time. The same goes for contractors as well. The lowest bid might could mean you’re getting a good deal, or it could mean that your contractor is cutting corners.

If you’re in the Greater Edmonton area and are looking for a contractor for you renovation project, visit our website at www.nordalta.com/contact/ to find information on how to contact us. We’d be happy to speak to you about what we can do to get the ball rolling on your next home or office project. You can also leave comments with us at robert@nordalta.com.

LET'S START YOUR RENOVATION TOGETHER

Nord Alta Construction is a family owned and operated construction and renovation business serving Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, Spruce Grove, Fort Saskatchewan and surrounding areas. Our focus, since 1979, is to provide excellent workmanship, great value, and the best possible experience you can have when working with an Edmonton construction company.